2015 Dutchess County Human Trafficking Service Provider Survey

Transcription

1 2015 Dutchess County Human Trafficking Service Provider Survey Dutchess County Taskforce Against Human Trafficking -- Courtney Schaad, Founder & President, Give Way To Freedom

2 Method! An online survey monkey survey was distributed, in June of 2015, to service providers throughout Dutchess County, NY.! The survey was distributed through an that contained information about the survey, a link to the survey, and provided both Federal and State definitions of human trafficking! The goals of the survey were to help the taskforce determine the extent of human trafficking being seen by service providers, help assess training needs and identify organizations that are able and willing to provide services to potential trafficking victims! The survey consisted of a total of 18 questions! It was composed of multiple choice and open ended items! Approximately 300 service providers received the survey! 70 individuals completed the survey on or before June 24, 2015

3 Survey participants came from a variety of different organizations! CAPE of Dutchess County! Center for Prevention of Child Abuse! CEO PEOPLe, Inc.Child Abuse Prevention Center! Chemical Dependency Crisis Center! Child Advocacy Center! Children's Home of Poughkeepsie! Children s Medical Group! City of Poughkeepsie Police! Rockland Psychiatric Center (Dutchess ACT)! Dutchess County District Attorney s Office! Dutchess County Department of Children and Family Services! Dutchess County Department of Health (Pubic Heath nurse, SAFE nurse)! Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene! Dutchess County Family Court (judge)! Dutchess County Healthy Families/Institute for Family Health! Dutchess County Office of Probation

4 Survey Participants came from a variety of different organizations continued.! Family Services! Grace Smith House! House of Hope! Hudson River Housing/River Haven Youth Shelter! Mid Hudson Children s Museum! Mill Street Loft! NAMI - MH! New York State Police! PROS Access! The Council on Addiction, Prevention & education of Dutchess County! Village of Rhinebeck Police! Worker Justice Center of New York

5 The majority of respondents reported providing these services! Advocacy Services 27.5%! Youth Services 26.7%! Mental Health Services 23.2%! Medical/Health Services 18.8%! Domestic Violence services 15.9%! Sexual Violence Services 15.9%! Victim Services 15.9%! Law Enforcement 14.5%! Education/Training 14.9%

6 Respondent s reported a wide variety of clients served by their organizations! Adults 84.5%! Minors 76.1%! Women 74.7%! Low Income 73.2%! Men 69%! LGBTQ 67.6%! Homeless 63.4%! Veterans 53.5%! Developmental Disabled 53.5%! Elders 52%! Immigrants/Refugees 50.7%! Undocumented 43.7%! Runaway 39.4%

7 Dutchess County Regions Represented! The majority of respondents provide services throughout the entire county

8 The majority of respondents reported being somewhat knowledgeable of human trafficking but less than half have been to a training! 71.2% of respondents reported being Somewhat Knowledgeable of human trafficking! 9.9% reported being Very Knowledgeable! 9.9% reported being Not Knowledgeable! More than half of respondents (55.1%) reported that they have never been to a training on Human Trafficking! 44.9% reported that they have been to a training

9 Most respondents reported that they believe both labor and sex trafficking exist on either a small or moderate scale in Dutchess County Doesn t exist Exists on Small Scale Exists on Moderate Scale Exists on Large Scale Labor Trafficking Sex Trafficking 1.5% 48.5% 47% 3.1% 1.6% 51.6% 40.6% 6.3%

10 Working with potential victims! 32.4% of respondents reported that they believed that they or their agencies have worked with potential victims! 43.7% reported not being sure if they had or had not! 23.9% reported that they had not worked with potential victims! Of those respondents that reported working with potential victims:! 42.4% worked with between 1-5 potential victims! 9% worked with between 6-10 potential victims! 3% worked with between 16-20

11 Results show a difference between those who attended a HT training and those that did not in their response to if they had worked with potential victims A much larger percentage of respondent s who had been to a human trafficking training reported working with potential victims. Those who hadn t been to a training reported not being sure at a much higher percentage. Attended a HT Training Has not attended a HT training Has worked with potential victims Has not worked with potential victims Not Sure 51.6% 19.3% 29% 13.2% 28.9% 57.9%

12 The types of trafficking identified by those who reported working with potential victims! Sex trafficking 30.6%! Both sex and labor trafficking 13.9%! Labor trafficking 5.6% *Not sure 52.8%

13 Types of Trafficking seen by providers

14 Red Flags/Indicators cited Some respondents reported direct disclosure by a potential victim or a referral from another agency Other s cited specific red flags: Sometimes we hear of a case where an abusive boyfriend has forced a woman to do nonconsensual sex acts with other individuals The use of threats to have the person deported if she didn t agree to payment requirements A runaway youth, allegations/rumors of prostitution

15 Some respondents reported direct disclosure or a referral from another agency. Other s cited specific red/flags situations (continued ) Statements they made about being moved from one place to another without them knowing where they were going A female youth was repeatedly taken to a construction job to allegedly help with sheet rocking and clean up but when her step-father picked her up every day she was not dressed for construction; her attire suggested prostitution. The youth and her step father and mother were undocumented.the construction company owner had repeatedly avoided prosecution for other building violations. Many of the victims are coerced by getting them addicted and they need treatment...

16 Some respondents reported direct disclosure or a referral from another agency. Other s cited specific red flags/situations (continued ) Threats, fear, using undocumented status to illicit fear Discussion of business deals with boyfriends always much older than the victim Sexually overt behavior, aggressive defense of the parent/step parent who were the potential perpetrators. Drug use, sophisticated knowledge of how gangs worked; though the child did not admit to being a child of gang members. Torn ear, cane marks on legs from beatings. A boy s allegations of being kept prisoner in a house with 20 other undocumented restaurant workers

17 Demographics of potential victims Nationality! 38% of respondents reported that they worked with between 1-5 Domestic Trafficking Victims (US citizens)! 16% of respondents reported that they worked with between 1-5 Foreign National Victims! 1 respondent reported working with between 6-10 US citizens! 1 respondent reported working with between Foreign Nationals.

18 Nationality of potential victims

19 Demographics of potential victims Age The majority of victims were reported to be between 16-18, 22-30, and then 12-15

20 Demographics of potential victims Gender: The majority of victims were reported to have self-identified as female

21 Demographics of potential victims Sexual orientation: The majority of victims were reported to have self-identified as heterosexual

22 Services respondents provided to potential victims! Advocacy! Safety Planning! Case management! Medical Assistance! Counseling! Referrals! Short term housing! Drug/alcohol rehab! Legal remedies for undocumented victims! Civil litigation

23 Areas of Need Services respondents were unable to provide or found challenging to provide! Spanish speaking mental heath services! Long term housing! Housing during a crisis if the Domestic Violence shelter is full! More legal representation and investigation of potential perpetrators! By enforcing current laws that may curtail the operation. The downside is that the subjects that usually can be arrested are the victims themselves and not the ringleaders

24 Addressing Human Trafficking! 53.2% of respondents believe their organizations can play a role in addressing Human Trafficking, especially if given more training on the issue! 41.9% were not sure! Many comments reflected a desire for more training and education human trafficking Our staff need training to identify at risk or trafficked individuals and how to handle such instances.. I think our case managers, with appropriate training, could help clients in this area I believe it is very likely that victims are involved with this agency and therefore there should be more training offered here Educating the employees on signs to watch as they interact with the community and making the community know our agency safely provides help to such victims

25 Specific roles, to address human trafficking, cited by some respondents As substance abuse and addiction are so closely linked to human trafficking, our agency could provide information surrounding local demographics of drug use and substances most common in different areas of the county The Council on Addiction, Prevention & Education of Dutchess County Providing mental health treatment -Millbrook PROS WJC s HT Program is funded to handle all instances of trafficking. Our in-house expertise is with undocumented, low-wage worker victims of labor trafficking but we also partner to provide appropriate referrals and case management Worker Justice Center The agency provides a safe and secure setting for survivors, including services such as therapeutic, case management, advocacy, prevention, educational, medical, court support, and transportation & Safe shelter; developing a safe harbor program The Children s Home of Poughkeepsie

26 Specific roles, to address human trafficking, cited by some respondents By enforcing current laws that may curtail the operation. The downside is that the subjects that usually can be arrested are the victims themselves and not the ringleaders --Town of Poughkeepsie Police Coalition building, education of healthcare providers, education of community based organizations DC Department of Health, Public Health Nursing We would be able to order services or evaluations to assist in determining issues the individuals are struggling with in addition to providing legal assistance Dutchess County Family Court Judge

27 Specific roles, to address human trafficking, cited by some respondents At the very least we can provide support and referral services. We can use our classes to educate individuals about human trafficking Child Abuse Prevention Center Temporary safe housing, clothing, education, and referral to police Crime Victims, Child protective, CAC Our agency is involved in the Safe Harbor grant program and the taskforce against human trafficking. Our agency can offer the same type of service that any Dutchess County resident can apply/be eligible for - Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services I believe our agency can educate the community about human trafficking as well as provide services to those who are or have been victims - NAMI-MH

28 Appendix A: Survey Questions

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